


Snow Day

by maddienole



Category: Animaniacs
Genre: Drowning, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Hypothermia, Ice Skating, Near Death Experiences, Protective Siblings, Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-02
Updated: 2020-12-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:27:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27832264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maddienole/pseuds/maddienole
Summary: It was supposed to be a simple trip. Many people (and cartoons) went ice skating, especially in the winter time. Yakko thought it would be a good bonding activity to partake in with his siblings, or at the very least it would get them to leave the water tower once in a while.That is, until he almost loses his baby brother.
Relationships: Dot Warner & Wakko Warner & Yakko Warner
Comments: 10
Kudos: 286





	Snow Day

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote another one of these. Please send help.

The most unfortunate aspect about the winter months - _aside from literally everything_ \- was the weather. The Warner siblings were not unacclimated to the cold _(mostly_ ) but that didn't mean they particularly _enjoyed_ it at any rate.

" _My ears are cold..."_

" _...I can't feel my feet..."_

" _...can we go back inside, Yakko?"_

And this was... _fine_. Reasonable, even. Why should they have to venture into the cruel outside world and freeze to death when they had a nice, heated water tower to hunker down in for the time being?

Or so Yakko thought.

He loved his little siblings dearly, but being trapped in a finite space for days on end listening to Dot's impromptu singing tirades or Wakko clearing out every morsel in the kitchen was doing some... _unsavory_ things to his mental stability.

And so - as the dutiful big brother he was - Yakko decided to change their routine up a little.

"Ice skating?" Dot asked incredulously, eyebrows furrowed as she tried untangling the laces of some kiddie skates Yakko definitely _did not_ steal from the nearest big chain store.

"You heard me." Yakko gave as big a smile as he was able, fumbling around for the three puffer jackets he kept in the closet.

"But it's _cold_!" she whined, crossing her arms with a pout.

"...can we eat first?" Wakko piped up from the kitchen. "I'm hungry."

"Didn't you already eat?"

"Yeah...but that was like _twenty_ whole minutes ago!"

"It's _just_ for the afternoon," Yakko cut in tiredly, wrangling Dot into her bright pink jacket. "It's _family_ time. Bonding and all that."

" _But we can bond in here!"_

" _With the food!"_

" _...and the warm..."_

" _...and the telly..."_

Yakko sighed, rubbing his temples. _Fine_. The hard way it was. He yanked Wakko by the arm, holding him in place while he tried - _with one hand, mind you_ \- to get the jacket on without tearing his fur off.

" _Help, I'm being restrained!"_

"Oh for the love of..."

" _My rights are being infringed!"_

"Will you just keep sti-"

" _I'm being repressed_!"

Yakko bit his lip, trying to prevent any sounds from escaping. It was times like this where he could use an adult - a _real_ adult - one that was hardwired to handle whiny, uncooperative children. How did he get stuck with this duty again?

"What's a... _repressed_?" Dot asked innocently from behind him.

Yakko snorted, zipping up Wakko's jacket. "Nothing. He's just being over-dramatic."

"I am at a perfectly _acceptable_ level of dramatic, thank you very..."

" _And_ we're leaving," he interrupted hastily, grabbing his sibling's hands and practically shoving them out the door before another sound of protest could be uttered.

Yakko didn't remember the name of the lake, something foreign and long and rather difficult to pronounce. It wasn't a terribly long walk, maybe ten minutes at most, but Dot was a slow walker and Wakko was being particularly obstinate at the moment - _decidedly unlike his usual self_ \- but then again, he recognized his siblings' dislike for the abhorrent conditions outside. Yakko wasn't entirely fond of the cold himself, but it was unhealthy to spend the entire winter season cooped up inside, both mentally and physically. And even if he wasn't their parent, he _was_ the eldest and therefore had to display some level of maturity and oversight on their day to day activities - _or lack thereof_.

And ice skating was supposed to be fun, right? Many people did it, and it wasn't uncommon for cartoons to join in from time to time.

They did manage to reach the lake eventually, though he had to carry Dot most of the way. It was certainly large, though not to the point where you couldn't see the tree line on the other side. He had been here a couple of times when he had snuck out from the movie lot, all of which had been in the summer when it was being utilized as a swimming hole. Now, however, it was completely frozen over - _prefect_ conditions for ice skating.

Or at least it _should_ be, if he could get his siblings to comply.

"So what now?" Dot asked, timidly stepping onto the ice.

"You have to put the ice skates on first, baby sister," Yakko replied with a smirk.

" _Oh_."

"Are those knives at the bottom?" Wakko asked, holding his pair by the laces above his head.

"Of course they _aren't_!" Yakko yelped, lunging to grab the skates before his brother cut off his nose. "They're called blades."

" _...like a knife?"_

" _...isn't that a movie?"_

" _...oooh let's watch a movie..."_

This...was going to be a long one.

Some twenty minutes and a near mental breakdown later, Yakko managed to get both of his siblings into their ice skates and they soon set off. It was... _rough_...to say the least. The ice wasn't smooth, and Yakko found himself hitting clumps and stones and other small objects more times then he'd like to admit. Dot screamed after losing her balance and falling over - _"I broke my leg!"_ ( _it was fine_ ) - and Wakko was... _well_ , Yakko wasn't sure. His little brother wasn't the most graceful type, and was fluctuating between spinning in circles and eating ice when he inevitably fell over. At the very least, he looked like he was having some semblance of a good time, which in Yakko's eyes was good enough.

By some stroke of luck, the lake was unoccupied for their trip. Yakko could at least relax in knowing that his siblings ( _or himself, for that matter_ ) wouldn't have to worry about bashing into other living creatures and causing more injuries. He had lost all blood flow in his arm thanks to Dot's tight clutches as she tried to stabilize herself. It took a while, close to an hour in fact, before she was managing to glide on the ice by herself.

" _Do you see me, big brother? I'm doing it! Are you watching? Yakko!"_

"You're doing great, baby sister!"

Well, not _great_. Passable, maybe. She was wobbly and slow on her feet, but she _was_ doing it by herself. Yakko couldn't help but be proud - that was his _sister_.

Another hour passed but it felt like lesser. Dot was continuing to improve, even Wakko was able to stay on his feet for several minutes at a time. Yakko probably could have stayed out for longer, but he could see pink and yellow streaks beginning to form in the sky. It was getting late.

"Let's go guys!" he yelled, making his way to the edge of the lake.

"Can we have a couple of more minutes? _Please?_ "

He smiled to himself before firmly shaking his head. Wasn't this the girl who didn't want to get out not several hours ago?

"It's going to get cold," he responded.

"It's _already_ cold."

"Well... _colder_."

He could hear Dot puffing, arms crossed and glare ever present on her face. She skated back - _almost with ease -_ and quite fast. Actually, _very_ fast.

...much too fast.

"Dot! Maybe you should slow do-"

"I'm _fine_!" she cut in excitedly. "I can go fast now, watch!"

Oh, he was watching. He was watching her smile and glide and...and...

_Smack._

Right into the ice.

Yakko sighed, skating towards his fallen sister, who was clutching her ankle with tears in her eyes. He wanted to say "I told you so," but bit his tongue. She was a kid - _a child_ \- they make mistakes and they learn from them.

Of course, this wouldn't have happened if she had just _listened_ to him in the first place, but...

"Yakko?" Dot sniffled, still clutching her ankle.

"What is it?"

"I...I heard something..."

"Heard what? he frowned, pulling her to her feet.

"I...I dunno like a crack or...I'm not sure."

"What...do you mean a crack?"

Another sniffle.

"Like when I fell it...it..."

She didn't get to answer. Some sound - some awful sound - filled the air. It was beneath them, almost like...like the snapping of twigs or...

...the cracking of ice...

Yakko could feel his heart in his throat. He grabbed his sister, looking around widely. "Wakko?" his brother was sitting cross legged further near the center of the lake, presumably lost in his own thoughts. "Wakko!" he yelled again. "We need to get off the ice, now!"

Another crack. Dot screamed, clutching him even tighter. Wakko just stared back at him, eyebrows furrowed. "Huh?"

Yakko gritted his teeth, bending down towards his sister. "Get off the lake. We're close enough to the edge, you'll be fine doing it yourself."

"B-but what about..."

"Just go Dot. _Hurry_." Yakko breathed in deep, watching her skate back erratically to the shoreline. Wakko still looked confused, struggling to his feet. He was the weakest skater of the bunch, trying to stabilize himself on the ice but failing to do so. Yakko's heart lurched again.

The creaking noises were getting louder. And closer together.

"Wakko!" he hissed. "Stay there...don't move, okay?"

"What's going on?" he responded weakly, hugging himself.

" _Just stay put."_

Yakko could hear Dot yelling... _something_...was it important? He couldn't stop to hear it. To _think_. He had to _\- he needed to_ \- get to Wakko. To his brother. He couldn't let...the creaking was getting louder, unbearable almost. His heart was beating out of his chest.

Wakko couldn't swim.

He couldn't swim, he couldn't even float or do anything...any lifesaving maneuver while in the water. He _despised_ it. Especially now, with the water so cold...so terribly _cold._

He was almost there. _Almost._ Another crack. He reached out, trying to grab his brother's hand... _almost_...

And it vanished.

No...no that wasn't right. It fell. _He_ fell. The ice beneath him split and Wakko just...

_Oh no._

Yakko slipped, banging his knees on the broken ice. Pain seared through him, his knees especially - they _burned_. Something wet and sticky was dripping in his pants but he didn't have time. Dot was screaming, he was screaming...

" _Wakko_?" There was a dark hole of water before him but no sign of his baby brother. Yakko could feel the tears bubbling - _not now!_ \- and did the only thing he could think of doing.

He went in.

Let it be known that Yakko wasn't the best swimmer either. He knew the basics - kick your legs, move your arms, come up for air once in a while. Enough to not die if you found yourself in a pool or river. But this? This was different. His entire body was numb and the skates were heavy - impeding his ability to swim with any urgency. He groped around as best he could but it was _dark_ down here. He couldn't see much of anything, just barely discernible blobs of black that were floating around his peripherals.

He came up for air - _Dot was still screaming_ \- and went back down. How long had it been? Maybe a minute, but it was difficult to keep track of time. He went deeper - _how deep was this lake, anyways?_ \- almost failing until his hand hit...something. A _furry_ something. He grabbed and the furry thing jerked, almost frantic.

_Oh thank god..._

He could feel him. He could feel Wakko latch onto him... _struggling, twitching_...grabbing on for dear life. Yakko pulled with effort but found himself at a standstill. Wakko...he _wasn't_ moving. He was...

Yakko squinted. There was something below them. Some plant or...was it seaweed? Wrapped around his brother's leg. Wakko's frenzied movements were making any type of activity difficult, his baby brother was practically clawing, or _was_. The longer they stayed there the weaker he was getting. Yakko gulped, disentangling himself and proceeding to claw at the seaweed below. He didn't know how long it took, time was - _hazy_ \- before it finally gave and Wakko was freed. With one last push, he hauled himself and his brother to the surface and onto the ice.

Yakko was tired and he was _hurting._ His legs ached and his knees were stinging something fierce. His body was racked with coughs, almost as though he couldn't get enough air through his lungs. He pawed weakly towards Wakko, who had yet to make any sort of movement.

_No no no no no..._

The ice creaked again. They needed to get to land.

"Wakko?" he croaked, shaking his shoulder. Nothing. He could see the slight rise and fall of his chest, an indication of life in that tiny body of his.

_He's alive._

_He's alive._

_He's..._

Yakko sniffled, suddenly feeling an onset of nausea. He hauled his motionless brother with one arm, beginning to make their way to shore. Dot was in full on tears now, curled up in a tight ball.

"...is he okay?" she whispered, wiping her nose with the back of her hand.

_He's not dead._

"I don't know," he admitted, noting how raspy his voice sounded. "I...I think..."

Yakko sank to his feet, placing Wakko's still form beside him. It was almost entirely dark now, he was cold and drenched and...this was _his_ fault. He just wanted one afternoon - _one!_ \- to spend time with his family, and now what?

Was he crying? He felt like he was crying. His face was wet but he wasn't sure it if was from tears or lake water. He could feel Dot pressing against him, holding Wakko's hand, crying as well.

He _had_ to be strong right now. He couldn't afford to be anything less than strong. They could _die_ out here if they didn't get going. Especially in these wet clothes.

He could see Wakko's tossing beside him, just on the edge of consciousness - eyes twitching and hands clenched. He gasped, jerking forward.

"It's okay," Yakko reassured, grasping his brother's shoulders. "You're safe."

Wakko blinked, then blinked again. A cough. A sniffle.

"Why...are you all wet?" he finally asked dazedly.

If the situation wasn't so serious, he would probably laugh. Instead, he settled on a hug.

"Uh...big brother...you're um... _squeezing_ me," he said, squirming in his grasp.

"I know," Yakko murmured in return. "That's what a hug is."

"Can I get a hug too?" Dot interrupted. "I mean...I didn't almost _die_ like Wakko, but I still want one."

Yakko wrapped an arm around his baby sister, pulling her close.

"I love you both so much," he whispered, mostly to himself.

"Love you too big brother," Dot giggled.

_"...wait, I almost died?"_

#

Yakko couldn't pretend the walk home was easy, in fact it was probably the hardest quarter mile trudge he had ever dealt with in his life. Every step was painful, especially with blooded knees and bruised legs. He worried about Wakko's labored breathing, his little brother was leaning heavily on him the whole way home. And, of course, there was possible side effects of prolonged exposure - wet clothes and cold weather do not a good combination make.

When they did finally get back to the tower _\- to the warm_ \- Yakko's all but collapsed. Dot, unusually subdued, quietly got changed into her pajamas and made her way to bed, skipping dinner entirely. Yakko eventually forced himself to peel the wet clothes off of his body, making Wakko do the same before curling up on the couch.

He was so...utterly...tired.

"I...made you some soup," Wakko said quietly, placing a small bowl of what looked like tomato in front of him. His hands were still trembling from the cold, it was a surprise that he didn't drop the bowl altogether.

"You didn't _need_ to, Wakko."

"I...I wanted to." A sniffle. A cough.

They would be lucky if all _three_ of them didn't end up with pneumonia. Yakko could only imagine how fun the tower would be with three sick Warners.

"I... _thank you_ , Wakko. Really."

Wakko shot him a smile - a _soft_ one. A beautiful one.

"I had fun, you know. Before the...uh...well..."

_Did he?_

"...I mean it was nice to get out. You were right about that, big brother."

"I almost got you _killed_. Not to mention possible hypothermia..." he trailed off, cradling his head in his hands.

Everything hurt.

Wakko sniffled again, sitting down beside him.

"But we had fun, didn't we?" he murmured.

_Did they?_

He could see Dot sliding cross the ice, smile on her face. He could see Wakko fall over, just to get back up again. He could see the determination etched in his brother's features. The giggling and shouting and the clumps of snow being thrown around...

He squeezes Wakko's hand.

"Yeah...I guess we _did_ have fun," he admitted softly.

"Maybe we can do it again sometime."

"Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves..." He leans over, grabbing the bowl of soup, relishing the warmth in his hands. "...maybe next time we'll do something that doesn't involve water."

He takes a sip - _definitely tomato_ \- a bit _too_ hot, actually, and Wakko yawns, leaning into his side. "Can I sleep with you tonight, big brother?" he mumbles, face pressed against his cotton shirt.

"I _suppose_..."

It took a minute, maybe less, before Wakko dropped off. It didn't take Yakko long to follow, stomach now full and body suitably warm. Of course, when he was jerked awake at some unfathomably late hour by the sound of small footsteps and the feel of another small body curling on his other side, he could only smile further.

He was safe, his siblings were safe...maybe not entirely _well_ \- a doctor's visit was definitely in their future. But for now, as he closed his eyes once more - _cradling his entire world in his arms_ \- he felt as though it was more than enough to ask for.


End file.
